A COLCHESTER United supporter has been handed a three-year football banning order after being attempting to punch an officer before an away match.

Jon Harknett, 21, was arrested on the day the U's travelled to play Cambridge United earlier this year on March 30.

He ran towards a fight which was developing between opposing fans in Newmarket Road, Cambridge, shortly after 2pm as they all walked towards the Abbey Stadium.

He was stopped by an officer as he did so, but struggled free and threw a punch towards him before being arrested on suspicion of affray.

Harknett, of Spruce Avenue, Colchester, was then charged with using threatening words or behaviour and initially denied the offence.

However, he was convicted after standing trial at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

He was handed the football banning order and also fined a total of £1,500.

The order imposed prevents him from attending any football match in the UK, specifically including home and away U's games.

He must also surrender his passport when the England national team travel abroad, as well as during Euro 2020, which will be held all over Europe.

Mark Wood, Cambridgeshire Police's dedicated football officer, said people like Harknett gave football fans a bad name.

He said: “This type of anti-social behaviour tarnishes the reputation of the 99 per cent of supporters who just want to turn up and watch the match.

“There is no place for this behaviour anywhere and particularly not at football matches, which are family environments.”

The match ended in a dramatic 1-0 for Colchester United with Kane Vincent-Young snatching a late winner sparking jubilant scenes amongst travelling supporters who had behaved.

It is not the first time there have been flashpoints during the fixture.

A group of Colchester United supporting teens were handed banning orders after invading the pitch at The Abbey Stadium in March 2017.

They had mistakenly thought the U's had secured three points with a second goal only for it to be chalked off by the officials.